


Pain

by Vampykitty_kun



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Coping, Death in the Family, Loss, M/M, Support
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-19
Updated: 2014-05-19
Packaged: 2018-01-25 17:42:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1656905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vampykitty_kun/pseuds/Vampykitty_kun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He just wanted to wake up and find out it had all been a terrible nightmare.</p>
<p>(Takes place between seasons 1 & 2)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pain

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vitterhet](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=vitterhet).



Pain was something that they were all pretty used to in one form or another. It came with the job description, and it was just as often emotional as it was physical, if any them were willing to be honest on the matter.

There were always going be casualties, victims of the war on crime, people they were close to that were going to be lost. It was never fair. It was never easy, nor would it ever be, and the losses always left great holes in their hearts.

They were no stranger to that sort of loss.

But honestly…

After everything? The last thing Dick had expected was to lose one of his own. He hated to say it, but in Gotham, away from the team, he and the rest of the bats often had a false sense of security. That because they had Bruce they were invincible so long as they paid attention, followed orders, and stayed smart.

But they _weren’t_.

That much was for certain now, and he wished that he would have never had to learn that life lesson, not like that. And he couldn’t help but think that things would have been _different_ had he been home instead of at the island with most of the team.

The team that knew nothing of his loss- of _their_ loss, and he wasn’t the slightest bit sure of how to break it to everyone, or that he could find the words even. But he owed it to them to try, to not have them learn the horrid news through Dinah, or god forbid Bruce…

But truth be told…. He just wanted to wake up and find out it had all been a terrible nightmare.

The funeral would not be for a few more days. The death was not yet announced to the public, for obvious reasons, until the cover story could be arranged. With such physical trauma and the explosion… there was lots of explaining, and _lots_ of money to change hands in preparation.

He could not stay at the manor.

Nor could he bear to walk around Mount Justice in a haze with everyone’s mournful sorrow and condolences.

He wanted to be alone- yet _not_ … which is how he came to find himself in Central City via the long route with not tracer or com on his person, cut off from the rest of his family and team as he traveled in a daze on autopilot.

He held it together, kept everything bottled up, and he had to give himself credit for that much, even as it began to downpour and he trudged through mud and puddles while he made his way down the long streets.

He had felt his anxiety bubble up as he reach the block of his destination, had felt his pulse jump, and hands quiver as he took the several flights of stairs up slowly, and by the time he reached the front door he was a wreck, capable of nothing but sagging to the floor in a sopping wet heap.

It was with great effort that he even managed to retrieve his cell phone and turn it on long enough to fire off a short text before going under social blackout once more.

_‘Open your door.’_

And in flash, which was to be expected, the apartment door flew open to reveal Wally in all his cheerful glory, clad only in a pair of red track pants.

But when his eyes fell on the crumpled ball that was Dick, his expression immediately changed, and quite suddenly he was being gathered up in the redhead’s arms and brought into the safety within.

He couldn’t find the words.

Could only reach up, wrap his arms around Wally shoulders, and cling for all he was worth.

And when the questions of ‘What happened?’, ‘are you alright’, and the ‘say something!’ came, he could no longer stand it, and he broke out in unattractive sobbing as Wally steered him towards the bedroom.

He barely registered anything as Wally got him seated, and stripped him out of his clothes to get him into something warm and dry, and only managed to lean into the touch as the redhead rubbed at his dripping hair with a towel. To his relief, no more questions were asked, and for a time Dick sat there in his embrace just trying to pull himself together.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed before he spoke, and when he did it came out hoarse, and broken.

“ _He’s gone._ ”

And to give Wally credit he simply carded a hand through his hair and held him tighter.

“Who is?” He murmured softly, and when Dick hiccupped in response he ran a hand down his back soothingly.

“Jason. _Gone_. He’s- never coming back, Wally… _Oh god_ , he’s _never_ coming back…” He choked, hiding his face in the crook of the speedster’s neck.

The redhead swallowed thickly and drew in a rickety breath, shaking his head as he drew Dick in closer, and buried his face in his dampened hair.

“I’m so sorry bro… so _sorry_.” He murmured. “Wh- _what happened_?”

Dick bit his lower lip and heaved in a thick gasp of air.

“Joker. It was…bad. _Very bad_. He didn’t stand a chance Wally, he was so _young_ , and he’s a monster.” He muttered, gasping as another round of sobs racked his body.

“We were _all_ young when we started this… especially you. It’s always been a risk that we’ve been willing to take for what is right. We know first going into this life that someday our luck might run out.”

“But he was… so _small_ Wally. So brash, always trying too hard, and he _never_ thought he was good enough. He was so terrified Bruce was going to give up on him. Things were just starting to look good for him. Why Jason? Why _now_?” He sniffled, pulling back to meet the other’s gaze.

And Wally could only look at him mournfully and sigh.

“Why anyone? Why ever? That’s something none of us ever have a reasoning for I’m afraid… and unfortunately, it’s always the good that die young.”

“He shouldn’t have had to suffer… Bruce just couldn’t make it, and I- I was…”

“ _Dude_. This is _not_ your fault, don’t even go there!” The redhead gasped, grabbing hold of Dick’s shoulders. “You were doing your _job_. You did absolutely _nothing_ wrong. It’s an unfortunate accident that you had no control over, and the only person that is to blame is that sick freak who took a kid’s life simply for the fun of it.” He growled cupping Dick’s tear streaked cheek in a hand. “There’s nothing you could have done so don’t beat yourself up over it, ‘kay?”

Reluctantly the teen nodded and wiped at his face.

“I-I couldn’t stay there Walls… it was smothering me, and Bruce… he’s a mess. I’ve never seen him so distraught. I’m not sure he’s ever going to get past it. I’ve never seen him so detached and cold. He will never _not_ blame himself and I can’t do a thing for him. And Mount Justice? I… I can’t face them, not _yet_. They can’t see me like this.”

Wally smiled sadly and nodded and he leaned forward. He pressed their foreheads together and sighed as Dick fell limp in his grasp.

“You know I’d never turn you away, right? You can stay as long as you’d like. We can order pizza, eat a gallon of icecream- or _several_ , and hell… I can even run out and get a pack of those cigarettes Jason was always getting caught with by Bruce and Dinah, and we can cough our lungs up in tribute as we watch those action flicks he was so crazy about.”

And to Wally’s relief Dick let out a small crackly laugh and wiped at his face once more.

“You’re the best, you know that? Even at the worst of times you can make me smile. You never fail to make things seem okay even when everything has gone to hell.”

“What can I say? I’m talented. At the best of times and the worst of times.” He sighed, ruffling Dick’s flattened hair. “And hell, you’ll stay nice and warm tonight, and I’ll keep your mind off of the present with my other mad skills, yeah?” He chuckled and smiled as Dick let out a soft sigh.

“Heartening.”

“Yeah, and I’ll be right beside you when the time comes to lay him to rest, and when you’re ready- _only_ when you’re ready, we’ll tell the team. _Together_. Because you’re not alone Dick. _Never_ alone.”

 


End file.
